Protective insert for an item of headwear

ABSTRACT

A protective insert for an item of golfing headwear with integral rigid peak. The protective insert is configured to protect a user&#39;s head from injury caused by a golf ball.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a protective insert, more particularly for golf or other ball sports.

BACKGROUND

The sport of golf is always increasing in popularity in many cultures, across the world.

It can be an expensive pastime, requiring a variety of different components, equipment, and even clothing.

It can be of importance to particular players of any sport to be well-equipped in apparatus and correct items.

In common with all sports, there can be dangers associated, in particular in golf with regard to balls. In particular these balls are very hard and can be expected to drop rapidly from above onto a first golfer who is positioned in a forward situation to the second golfer hitting the ball.

The first golfer or user in question may have their head in a variety of positions with regard to the dropping ball, for example wherein the user may be hitting a shot or more likely putting, with their head down.

They may alternatively be looking at the sky or in some circumstances wayward shots may be bounced from trees or other surfaces.

In any number of head positions a golf ball has potential to do great damage.

PRIOR ART

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem, including the following:

United Kingdom patent application GB 2 453 775 (MARTIN) discloses a baseball type protective cap, comprising: a protective flexible material to protect the head and providing extended protection over the temporal areas and the base of the skull; vents may allow for ventilation and a peak for sun protection.

Granted United States patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,937,778 (NORTON) discloses a cap comprising a plurality of interconnected panels adapted to cover a head; a pocket formed at each said panel, said pockets having an open end; a headband covering said open ends but allowing access to said pockets; and a protection segment adapted to protect a user received in each said pocket, each said protection segment including a protective panel made of a rigid plastic material and an energy absorbing layer made of foam, wherein each said protection segment has a longitudinal extent and a lateral extent, said protection segments being curved in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction and not all having the same radius of curvature in the longitudinal direction and not all having the same radius of curvature in the lateral direction, wherein there is a front pair of adjacent protection segments which are generally of the same configuration, a central pair of opposed protection segments which are generally of the same configuration and a back pair of adjacent protection segments which are generally of the same configuration, said front, central and back pairs being Of different configurations, and Wherein said back pair of protection segments have the largest radii of curvature in the longitudinal direction and said front pair of protection segments have the smallest radii of curvature in the longitudinal direction.

German patent application DE 20 304 931 (NAUMANN) discloses a cap wherein beneath the outer material of the cap is a middle layer with the same shape as the outer layer and comprising a plastic layer having a thickness of 2-4 mm and containing a star-shaped mesh of length and cross-direction reinforcing parts with its midpoint at the top of the cap. The plastic material for the middle layer is sufficiently elastic to be able to absorb the impact of a golf ball without being compressed so much that the golf ball hits the head. The middle layer contains at least 11 air holes measuring 3-6 mm in size in an area of 4×3 cm. The total weight of the middle layer is 100-200 g. An inner layer comprising a breathable membrane is provided, sweat being transported via the inner layer to the outer layer. The inner layer is secured to the bottom edge of the cap, preferably via a hook and loop fastener band. A tensile band with a clasp preferably made from lightweight metal is used to alter the size of the cap. The visor is bonded to the middle layer. The outer material is a water repellent, breathable textile membrane having the same shape as a typical cotton golfing cap

Granted United States patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,512 (BLAIR) discloses a device for insertion into a sports hat or the like comprising: a hard outer shell; an inner layer composed of an expanded high-density or foamed material whose lower edges are tapered, or an Air Management System liner, the device being sized and shaped for insertion into a typical sports cap such as a baseball cap or the like with both shells substantially covering the entire crown of the head.

Granted United States patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,556 (BARKER) discloses an apparel adapted for use in a confined space as an inconspicuously protective headwear, said apparel comprising: a streamlined crown adapted for close conformation about a wearer's scalp, said crown consisting essentially of a soft fabric; a bill, said bill projecting outward from a portion of the edge of said crown; a protective element for safekeeping of the wearer's scalp from blunt trauma, said protective element being substantially centrally positioned on an interior face of said crown and small in size relative to said crown such that said protective element comports with said apparel's inconspicuous quality and facilitates close conformation of said crown about the wearer's scalp; and wherein said protective element consists essentially of a thin sheet of resiliently flexible plastics material.

In contrast the present invention provides a means of protecting a user from falling balls striking a plurality of dangerous impact zones on a user's head, more particularly by providing a combination of protective parts that allow protection in a wearable format.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a protective insert with integral rigid peak as defined by appended claim 1.

The insert is typically formed of a rigid material such as acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene (ABS) plastic which is moulded into a shell that closely follows a typical head shape and has a good resistance to heat and impacts.

Furthermore the shell will ideally act to deflect impacts.

The insert in preferred embodiments is made entirely of such a rigid lightweight impact resistant plastic material, but may include in its manufacture the use of other materials to aid in its rigidity whilst maintaining its lightweight characteristics, for example a cellular form, perhaps including a metal skeleton or structure.

Further embodiments may have a plurality of layers of material forming the insert, wherein the layers are capable of absorbing impacts and disseminating impact forces.

In some embodiments, according to a second aspect of the present invention, the insert may include detachable ear protectors.

These layers may be able therefore to move in relation to one another, for example wherein some layers of differing material may be interposed to help absorption.

For example there may be layers of plastic, interposed with foam, wherein the plastic accepts the impact and the foam disseminates the impact's force.

The use of a layer or layers of flexible impact absorbing material and/or rigid impact accepting material lining the inner surface of the insert acts as a dual means of protection from the impact of a golf ball in absorbing some of the energy transmitted from the golf ball through the rigid shell and into the layer or layers of absorbent material.

Some embodiments may have portions that may be adjustable to accommodate variants of shapes. Other embodiments are ideally available in a variety of sizes and formats to accommodate variant head shapes.

The insert in preferred embodiments is capable of providing extended protection over the head temporal area. In this way it may be envisaged that the head may be well protected from falling golf balls, and a wearer or user is provided with protection from a resultant serious head injury:

Yet further preferred embodiments are capable of providing extended protection over the base of the skull also. In this way a user is protected from falling balls, such as when s/he is looking down or playing a shot and exposing the base of the skull.

The peak is furthermore capable of providing protection to the user's eyes from golf balls descending in flight.

In preferred embodiments the peak is rigid to accept impacts but is ideally flexibly mounted or partly flexible, in order that a ball will simply not bounce off the peak, but the peak will absorb some impact force and so prevent damage to the user's neck muscles.

The insert is ideally designed to be inserted in a specifically designed cap, made of a washable or maintainable fabric.

In some embodiments the insert may be detachable in order that it may be removed from the cap, whereas in other embodiments the insert is permanently integrated into the cap.

In some embodiments the insert may be a skeleton structure to be included in a cap, potentially including layers of resiliently deformable material and/or a rigid skeleton. The insert may include the addition of glass in the ABS plastic to increase the rigidity and maintain its lightweight characteristic.

For example said resiliently deformable material may allow an insert to become accustomed to a user's head shape.

In summary the preferred embodiments provide a deflective rigid shell and inner lining with high density impact absorbent foam which significantly reduces the force of the shell hitting into the user's head as a golf ball is deflected away from the user's head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the insert;

FIG. 2 show a view from above and a view from the front of the preferred embodiment;

FIGS. 3 show embodiments of the insert;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

In the pictured and preferred embodiment thickness of the insert ranges from 0.5 mm to 3 mm, tapered from the thickest point at its top section in use, to its rim. This should act to aid comfort for the user and allow a more natural look to a cap including the insert.

The embodiment thereby provides a lightweight protective insert with integral rigid peak designed to be inserted in a specifically designed cap to be worn whilst playing golf, said insert comprising a protective rigid material moulded in a manner that internally closely follows a head, but externally describes a cap shape, to protect from brain or surface injury, by providing extended protection over the temporal area providing extended protection over the head base of the skull, and also providing protection to eyes from golf balls descending in flight.

The fabric cap into which the insert is typically inserted is envisaged as designed purely for aesthetic purposes and it is not intended to act in a safety capacity in relation to an impact by a golf ball.

To aid comfort the insert is inserted into a specifically designed cap made of a lightweight air permeable fabric.

A layer or layers of flexible impact absorbing material or resiliently deformable material are also be included to aid in making the cap comfortable to wear and its sizing to the wearer's head.

The cap with the insert is not intended to appear like a standardly available protective helmet designed to protect the wearer from types of head injury from the impact a golf ball, in that such a protective helmet is impractical to be worn whilst playing golf being a cumbersome and excessive safeguard.

The internal shape and external shape of a cap containing the insert are not to be analogous, for example in order that the inner shape may provide impact resistance well tailored and dispersed across the user's head, whereas the outer of the cap containing the insert is primarily of a standard format.

The insert and specifically designed cap may have an aperture or cut out section through which hair may be arranged. The insert may have a skeleton structure that covers a majority of the user's head but is not contiguous and therefore permits ventilation and/or lesser weight.

As in FIG. 1 the pictured embodiment has a plurality of ventilation holes for the head in use.

The outer surface of the insert is smooth and contains no ridges, texture or raised and lowered parts in order to facilitate effective deflection of the golf ball on impact.

The rigid peak has a primary function of deflecting the descending flight of golf balls away from the wearer's eyes and head and a secondary function of adding rigidity to the sun visor which forms part of the specifically designed cap. Furthermore the peak provides shade for users.

Typically a standard type of fastening device is attached to the cap rear to assist in sizing of the cap. This is to be used to adjust the cap size and the movement of the insert. A section of the insert is movable in relation to the rest, so that the sections may overlap and/or space apart and allow resizing of the cap to be homogenous.

The caps may include sections/cuts cut out at intervals on the rim of the insert to aid sizing and comfort for the wearer.

In one of the pictured embodiments, rigid curved extrusions from the main shell provide impact protection to the user's ears. 

1. A lightweight protective rigid insert with integral rigid peak, the thickness of the insert ranges from 0.5 mm to 3 mm, tapered from the thickest point at its top section in use to its rim, comprising a protective rigid material moulded ideally in a manner that internally closely follows a head, but externally describes a cap shape, to protect from brain or surface injury, providing extended protection over the temporal area, providing extended protection over the head base of the skull, and also providing protection to eyes from golf balls descending in flight, with layers of impact absorbing material lining the inner side of the insert, with the inclusion of cuts for sizing and comfort, with holes in the top of the insert to aid ventilation, with the outer surface of the insert to be smooth and contain no ridges, texture or raised and lowered parts; the lightweight protective insert being designed to be inserted in a specifically designed lightweight air permeable fabric cap having a standard type of fastening device attached to the cap rear to assist in sizing of the cap, to be used as an item of golfing headwear for persons playing golf.
 2. An insert with integral rigid peak according to claim 1 including integrated ear protectors.
 3. An insert with integral rigid peak according to claim 1 including an aperture or cut out section through which hair may be arranged.
 4. An insert with integral rigid peak according to claim 2 including an aperture or cut out section through which hair may be arranged. 